Arnold & Son is famed for its high horological movements housed in stunningly elegant, yet minimalist cases and this year is no different. The watchmaker has debuted two unique pieces of its Double Tourbillon White Gold and a gold edition of its Ultrathin Tourbillon
Double Tourbillon White Gold
Harnessing the beauty of stone and glass, these two Arnold & Son pieces, each a one-off, reveal the duality of its double tourbillon, which can follow two distinct time zones to the minute. While the vibrant green of malachite places the watch firmly on the earth, aventurine – as sparkling as a starry sky – raises it to the heavens. The off-centre hour dials are crafted in white opal, offering a contrasting softness. The local time display is positioned on the dial at 12 o’clock in Roman numerals, complemented by a remote time, positioned at 6 o’clock in Arabic numerals. The hours and minutes displays of these two dials are entirely independent. Its sapphire crystal is domed to accommodate the contours of its twin tourbillons. They are each attached to a three-dimensional bridge, boast a cantilevered skeleton configuration, and are crafted in white gold. They are also the end of a double gear train. The A&S8513 calibre thus features two barrels and two crowns for two time zones. They can display the same time, two different times, or one can even display the time while the other measures the duration of a long event. The Double Tourbillon White Gold can display the time in zones offset by 15, 30 or 45 minutes. The movement is highlighted by extremely accomplished finishes.
Ultrathin Tourbillon Gold
Pared back to its purest expression, the dial of the Ultrathin Tourbillon Gold evokes a silver-toned opaline finish, while the off-centred hours dial is of white opal. The timepiece is housed in an 8.3 mm-thick case. The vast dial features two apertures – one houses the hours dial and the other exhibits the A&S8300 calibre. With a bassiné design, a slim 5N red gold case encircles the dial and is echoed in the two apertures. The A&S8300 calibre – at only 2.97 mm thick – is one of the slimmest ever designed. The highest point of the calibre is at the top of its tourbillon carriage. The variable-inertia balance ensures more stable calibration over time. The triangular shape of the redesigned tourbillon carriage evokes a sextant, while its double-arrow counterpoise represents an anchor. The point in the middle serves as a seconds marker, as the carriage completes a full rotation in one minute. In the background of the tourbillon, its bridge appears in the mainplate aperture, its hand-engraved design evocative of John Arnold’s pocket watches. Crafted in 3N yellow gold, it blends with the gear train while creating an aesthetic contrast with the rest of the calibre. Modifications to the tourbillon carriage and regulating organ have increased the power reserve of the A&S8300 calibre to 100 hours.
